The name of the rosé

Mateus has been astonishingly successful, but, thinks Andrew Catchpole, other pink wines have more to offer

Drink pink: the new-look Mateus is drier than its predecessor

Andrew Catchpole

12:01AM BST 20 Apr 2002

TAKE some bizarre Portuguese grape varieties, press to create an unfashionable pink hue, ensure a modest tickle of fizz, seal in a carafe that looks more like a Marmite jar than a wine bottle, and slap on a label with a picture of an aging palace. There you have it: Mateus, the best-known rosé in Europe, if not the western world, and favoured tipple of the Queen, Sir Cliff Richard and Saddam Hussein (as if it didn't have enough of an image problem already), to name but a few.

Mateus Rosé first appeared almost 60 years ago. The Guedes family, who created the wine, paid to use the name of the Palace of Mateus in Vila Real, just north of the Douro. They developed their fledgling brand into a best seller. At its peak in the 1980s, it accounted for well over a third of Portugal's table wine exports. And it remains Europe's best-selling pink wine. In the damp and chilly British Isles alone, we apparently sink more than two million bottles of the stuff each year.

Revenue from sales allowed the Guedes family to build a formidable company, Sogrape, which still accounts for about half of all Portuguese table wine production.

At the opposite pole from this uncomplicated £3.99 pinkie, Sogrape counts Portugal's unofficial first growth, the remarkable Barca Velha, among its wines. The company also has an impressive portfolio of skilfully crafted premium wines. It makes wine across most of the leading regions in the country, champions the unique indigenous grape varieties and impresses commentators and consumers alike.

Not a bad record for a seemingly unassuming rosé. Which must be part of the reason why the brand is being relaunched in Britain this spring. According to Alec Guthrie of First Drinks Brands, the British company that acquired distribution rights 18 months ago, sales are on the up again. The plan is to drop rosé from the label - everyone, it figures, knows the wine is pink - and run with a simpler, modernised label. The distinctive bottle has also become taller in the process. Oh, and don't forget the main message - the wine is drier to meet today's supposedly more sophisticated demands. And that's it.

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It's the cheapest campaign you could run. Persuade journalists to write about it and watch sales go up. To balance this, I thought I'd smuggle a bottle of the new-look Mateus into a dinner party and solicit opinions among the kind of people who sniff at branded wines - and especially rosé - as a matter of professional integrity.

A few friends - including an Italian, a Belgian, a Dane and handful of Brits - were there to sample it. Clean, off-dry, with more character than anyone admitted to remembering, a marked rosé hue and a surprisingly refreshing finish was the general consensus. No more, or no less, than you'd expect from a £3.99 wine. Respectable enough, but no fireworks. I doubt any of us will be rushing out to buy the new-look Mateus. But it did spark a conversation about rosés in general.

It seems incredible that, on the one hand, Britain sinks so much of this brand while rosé, even its at best, remains below the line of worthy consideration. It's difficult to define what the problem is. While the southern French, the Spanish and Portuguese produce and drink gallons of the stuff, we British remain snooty about the whole pink affair. But as spring creeps into our gardens, what could be more uplifting than a vibrant splash of rosé on a warm day?

There's also a foodie note to this business. Many of the best rosé wines retain an element of structure from their red grapes, which can make for a perfect match with lighter spring and summer dishes. Somewhere in between white and red. Remember how good these wines can taste with a light meal in Provence or the south of Spain?

Banish any thought of the unspeakable, sweet-edged blush wines from California, or Europe's equivalent, found among the mediocrities of Anjou in the Loire. Plump instead for rosé wines of character and intrigue.

At the top end, expensive and thin on the ground, are pink Champagnes. Houses such as Billecarte-Salmon, Gosset, Bollinger and even Dom Perignon produce outstanding examples, all with notable finesse and elegance.

If the bank manager is looking tetchy this month, then lower your sights. France's most famous area for rosé is Provence, with the neighbouring Languedoc-Roussillon also big on the style. It's worth seeking the advice of a decent merchant before taking the plunge, as the old adage that simple wines taste better on holiday generally holds true. You should look to areas with a reputation for good reds and whites.

The Loire is also a source. The most intriguing wines, such as Sancerre rosés, are rarely, if ever, seen in this country, but can express all the delicate, sensuous side of Pinot Noir to the full. Cabernet de Saumur can also pass muster, as can rosé d'Anjou. France's longest established reputation for serious rosé is in the southern Rhone, where Tavel invokes the twin parentage of Grenache and Cinsault for a formidably statuesque style. Again, you have to choose carefully, especially as prices can be high, but this dry, bold wine should convert even the most ardent red-or-nothing cynic.

Elsewhere in Europe, it is Spain and Portugal that most appreciate this style. In both countries, it is worth opting for a recognised example, such as Chivite rosé from Spain or Nobilis from Portugal.

Otherwise, simply explore the shelves. Beyond this, look out for New World examples, which can bring some intriguing grapes to the table. One outstanding example comes in the shape of rosé of Virginia from Charlie Melton in South Australia. From most New World countries you can find respectable, even serious rosé wines from more adventurous producers. From simple, uncomplicated sippers to classier, complex styles, I'd recommend plunging into the pink. After all, wine is supposed to be fun.

Chivite Gran Fuedo 2001 Rose, Navarra, Spain (£4.49, Oddbins, Wine Society). Strawberry bright in the glass, this showers the nose with a juicy crush of red berry fruit and a vibrantly fresh, bright-edged scent of Grenache comes through with gusto. A jolly, easy-drinking style encapsulating the best of Spanish rosé.

Balbi 2001 Shiraz Rose, Mendoza, Argentina (£4.49, Co-op, various stockists). Now for something completely different. If you prefer a suggestion of sweeter fruit at the heart of your rose, then this cranberry pink, cherry and red berry-infused Argentine number is for you. At its heart, the soft, spicy, engaging warmth of Shiraz delivers a juicily ripe, jammy fruitiness, but with a refreshingly lively edge.